Upholding Freedom of Association for Workers in Thailand

Issues: During a 2010 visit to a factory producing golf gloves for Acushnet Company in Thailand, FLA assessors found that members of the worker-elected Welfare Committee were more than two years past their legal limit of service. Additionally, most of the members were management-level staff. The factory employed 1,500 people.

Solutions: Following an election at the factory, the committee was re-formed with eight members of management/office staff and seven production workers representing various manufacturing departments. Having seven production workers on the committee is well above the Thai legal requirement of five production representatives. The next election date was already planned, so a new committee can be formed every two years.